1. Field
This invention generally relates to wireless communications and, more particularly, to a credit management system and method for cellular network User Terminal (UT).
2. Background
A variety of telephone plans and payment options currently exist. A user may have multiple telephone accounts, such as a home phone number and a cellular phone number. Additionally, a user may establish and pay for a child's cellular phone account. Some service plans have a high monthly fee, but unlimited long distance calling. Other service plans have a low monthly fee, but a user is charged for on a per minute basis, and is also charged for long distance calls.
Conventionally, a user must contact a customer support number to make inquiries into long distance usage, toll calls, and local toll calls. Some service providers offer an online service using a web-based lookup system. In addition, the pay-as-you-go plans typically offer a call feature that provides account information from an accounting database (i.e., the number of paid minutes remaining in the account). This information may also include in-plan and out-of-plan billing information.
Conventionally, it is difficult to limit or control phone usage for an account. If a user wishes to control the use of a child's phone, the only practical method has been to use pre-paid telephone cards. Adding credit to such an account (i.e., buying a new card) is time consuming. However, using a credit card to automatically replenish the account defeats the management goals.
If a user wishes to modify their account options, the changes are typically communicated via fax, voice call, or email, where they are entered by a customer service representative. Such a process is not only costly and time consuming, but may also result in errors. Further, changes to some account management features are either not offered, or not encouraged.
The end result is that once a customer establishes an account, it is unlikely that the customer will make account modifications, even if the customer's needs change. Alternately, the number and kinds of account modifications that are offered to a customer are limited.
It would be advantageous if a cellular network account for a UT could be managed by a second party, even if the UT is in the possession of, and being used by a first party.